12 Dangerous Extension Cord Mistakes You May Be Making, According to an Electrician
How much time do you spend thinking about extension cords? Probably not much … but did you know they’re one of the biggest hidden home dangers? Extension cords bring power from where it is, such as a wall outlet in your garage, to where you need it, like that overgrown hedge that’s just screaming for a trim. But before you drag out the electric lawn equipment or drape an extension cord behind the couch in your living room to reach a new lamp, it’s important to recognize the inherent dangers of extension cords. If you’re not careful, you could get a nasty shock … or worse.
Every year, thousands of people end up in the emergency room or see their houses burn down from accidents involving extension cords. I’m an electrician, so I’ve seen the dangers firsthand. On a construction site, shocks and fires are real, daily risks, but it’s the stuff that happens at home that keeps me up at night. After all, it’s your family on the line. That’s one reason I’m so obsessed with extension-cord safety in everyday life.
Ahead, I’ll give you 12 essential, actionable tips to keep your house standing and your family safe.
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Why extension cord safety matters
Compared with a construction site, your home might seem relatively hazard-free, but electrical shock and fires can happen anywhere, with devastating results. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), about 3,300 home fires are directly attributed to extension cords each year, causing around 50 deaths and hundreds of injuries annually. And though ESFI doesn’t track extension cord shock injuries specifically, approximately 30,000 nonfatal shock incidents happen every year, including from extension cords.
A word about electrical shock: I’m not talking about a little zap from a light switch or static electricity. It takes only a tiny fraction of the electricity available at a single outlet in your home to severely injure or even kill a person. We’re talking 0.1 to 0.2 amps, which is microscopic compared with the 15 amp or 20 amp circuit capacity typically found in your kitchen, living room, bedrooms, bathrooms and garage. Adding an extension cord brings that potential danger out from the wall and into your living spaces.
Then there’s the tripping hazard. It might sound minor next to fire or shock, but tripping over an extension cord sends people to the ER every year too! Of course, extension cords are here to stay, and they can be useful tools. You just need to keep safety and common sense top of mind. The advice below will help you do just that.
Extension cord safety tips
Everyone needs to use an extension cord from time to time. Without them, we’d be limited to the 3-foot cord that nearly every portable tool or appliance comes equipped with—no thanks. And without an extension cord, how would you bring additional lighting and sound to your backyard patio party or that project you’re working on out in the shed?
Extension cords can be great tools for temporary power needs. The keyword here is temporary, something reflected in many of the tips below.
Unplug extension cords when not in use
When an extension cord is plugged in, it is a literal extension of the wall outlet. That means it’s “live” or “hot” all the way from the wall to the end of the cord. If you have nothing plugged into the cord, it’s just a needless hazard serving no legitimate purpose. Kids could see it as something to play with; pets might treat it as an interesting new chew toy. Plus, you could trip on it!
As soon as you’re done with an extension cord, unplug it and coil it safely away.
Don’t run extension cords under rugs or carpets
It’s tempting to run an extension cord under an area rug, especially if you don’t have a floor outlet and your couch is in the middle of the living room, like mine. You might think it’s a better alternative than seeing (and tripping on) an ugly extension cord. It’s not. Cords running under carpeting and rugs are major fire hazards because they can overheat, and if they get damaged from foot traffic, you’ll never know until it’s too late.
Replace damaged extension cords
Before plugging in an extension cord, examine it for nicks, cuts, scrapes and missing prongs on the plug. That goes for cords you haven’t used in years and the one you just brought home from the store. If you see exposed or damaged copper wiring, get rid of the cord. Exposed wires cause electrical arcs, in which the current can “jump” between the wires—potentially starting a fire in nearby flammable materials.
If you’re handy, you can cut off the damaged part of an extension cord and put on a new plug (or if the damage is in the middle, make two cords from one), but never wrap electrical tape around exposed wires. This will merely disguise, not stop, the arcing.
Don’t overload extension cords
Extension cords sold today list the thickness of the electrical wires inside, called the gauge, and the maximum number of watts (a unit of power) you can put on the cord. This info may be on the cord itself or on the packaging. The gauge of wire tells you how many amps (or current flow) it can safely carry, but it’s easier to add up the watts of the lights, tools or appliances you will be powering with the cord.
For example, my 50-foot, 12-gauge outdoor extension cord has a limit of 1,875 watts. I could run dozens of strands of LED Christmas lights (at 40 watts a pop) with this cord or a single miter saw or other high-amp tool. It’s important to stay under these restrictions to avoid shock and fire hazards.
Avoid daisy-chaining extension cords
Even though too-long cords are a no-no, if you do need to bring power to far-flung places, avoid daisy-chaining multiple cords together. Instead, get a cord that travels the entire distance you need in one piece. You’ve heard the old adage “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” right? Well, every connection point in an electrical circuit (including either end of an extension cord) is a potential weak link, where moisture intrusion and overheating can occur.
Grab extension cords by the plug, not the cord
When you unplug an extension cord (or any cord), pull it by the plug, not the cord. That’s why plug ends often have ergonomic ridges where your thumb can rest while you pull. Grabbing and pulling the cord itself puts strain on the connections between the cord and plug, and with every yank on the cord, those connections get a little less secure, potentially causing overheating, electrical arcs and fires.
Keep extension cord length to a minimum
Using a 50-foot extension cord to go 6 feet is a bad choice for a couple of reasons. First, it’s inefficient. When electricity has to travel to where it’s needed, it loses its potential to deliver power as it gets farther and farther from its source. The longer the distance, the more it loses—a concept called voltage drop. You don’t need to know the boring electrical specifics, but shorter cords are better than long ones.
In addition, too-long cords are a tripping hazard, and there’s a lot of extra cord that can get damaged. Even a neatly coiled extension cord could hide nicks and frays—both fire and shock hazards—that would be more noticeable on a shorter cord.
Never use extension cords with space heaters
I’m a space heater junkie, even though they’re one of the most dangerous appliances in my home. Space heaters draw a lot of current, and when you pair that with an extension cord, you risk overheating the cord, heater and electrical connections in your wall. Space heaters and heating stoves cause nearly 80% of deaths and almost half the monetary damages from home heating fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Always use the attached space heater cord, and plug it directly into the wall—never into an extension cord or power strip.
Use indoor extension cords inside
Extension cords look pretty similar, but they’re made for specific uses and locations. Indoor cords typically have thinner insulation and a smaller gauge of wires for use with lamps, indoor Christmas lights, fans and computers. Outdoor cords are more rugged, with thicker, sturdier insulation and weather-resistant features.
It’s not a problem to use an outdoor cord inside, but never do the opposite. Indoor cords will quickly degrade in the sun, wind and rain, leaving you with a damaged and unsafe cord that will have to go right in the trash—if it doesn’t give you a nasty shock first.
Don’t force a plug into an extension cord
If you have both indoor and outdoor cords around your home, you might notice that some of the more basic indoor ones have only two “slots” for the cord to plug into, while the heavier-duty ones have three. The difference is the grounding pin, which is an important safety connection on many appliances. Never force a three-prong plug into a two-slot extension cord or remove the round grounding pin from a cord to get it to fit.
If you have any cords that are missing the grounding pin, get rid of them.
Buy listed extension cords only
We all buy cheap stuff from online retailers occasionally, but never skimp on extension cords. Before buying a new cord, check to see that it’s listed (certified). Listing means that a reputable standards organization like UL or Intertek has signed off on the production and safety standards of the manufacturer. If you’re in the home-improvement center and can physically look at the label, you’ll see a listing mark on the tag or package. Online, check under the product specifications before you hit that buy button.
Don’t use extension cords as permanent wiring
Have you ever rearranged your living room or bedroom only to discover you don’t have a wall outlet where you need it? It’s OK to use a properly rated extension cord for short periods of time, but if you’ve been looking at an ugly extension cord snaked along your wall to power a floor lamp or entertainment center for more than a month or two, don’t ignore this overlooked fire hazard—it’s time to put in a new outlet.
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At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. For this piece on extension cord safety, Ally Childress tapped her experience as a professional electrician and home-improvement writer. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Electrical Safety Foundation International: “Reaching for Safety: Use Extension Cords Safely”
- National Institutes of Health: “Electrical Injuries”
- National Fire Protection Association: “Home Heating Safety”
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